Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

The Minister may be aware of a Private Members' Bill which I introduced in May regarding ticket touting, the Prohibition of Ticket Touts Bill. In view of the fact that the IRFU, the FAI, the GAA and Ticketmaster supported the Bill, and Ticketmaster said it was a genuine attempt to tackle the scourge of touts, the Government should accept the Bill as a positive way forward. Will he give a commitment today that, if I introduce the Bill during Private Members' time, the Government will support it in view of the support it has received from everyone involved in organising concerts or major games?

Will the Minister agree that it was a scandal that the ticket touts who ripped-off people who bought tickets to attend the Eminem concert last summer were refunded the money? This indicates the need for legislation in this whole area. Is he aware of legislation in most states in the US to cover this activity, which is referred to as ticket scalping? There is legislation in England that forbids the sale of tickets near sports grounds and so on. As far as I am aware, this is now the only country that has no legislation to deal with the scourge of ticket touting.

Before the all-Ireland, in front of the Gresham Hotel, I witnessed an individual who arrived from America that morning paying €2,000 for two tickets, which is not fair. The GAA, the FAI and the IRFU will find it very difficult to track tickets because they can be passed on to different people. A ticket could change hands four times before someone eventually sits on the seat. It is very difficult to track tickets.

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